Overview
Cupra is probably not a very familiar name to many Irish motorists. It started out as a branch of Seat and more recently has developed into a brand in itself as part of the Volkswagen Group. Seat, a manufacturer with major geographical pockets of success in Ireland, saw its new car sales drop by almost 60% last year, while Cupra sales increased by 258%. This is a good indicator of the direction of travel for the two badges and a big factor at play in this is the Cupra emphasis on hybrid and electric power units.
Arriving at the back end of 2021, the Born is Cupra’s first fully electric model and although sales were modest last year, probably due in part to supply issues, the car was very well received. It is based on the same VW MEB platform as the Volkswagen ID.3 and the Skoda Enyaq iV, but comes with a certain amount of Spanish flair that makes the car more distinctive.
So does the Born have what it takes to make an impact in this very competitive sector and will it be able to tempt a new group of buyers to make the electric switch?
Arriving at the back end of 2021, the Born is Cupra’s first fully electric model and although sales were modest last year, probably due in part to supply issues, the car was very well received. It is based on the same VW MEB platform as the Volkswagen ID.3 and the Skoda Enyaq iV, but comes with a certain amount of Spanish flair that makes the car more distinctive.
So does the Born have what it takes to make an impact in this very competitive sector and will it be able to tempt a new group of buyers to make the electric switch?
Pros
- Stylish design
- High safety rating
- Very economical
Cons
- Price range
Exterior
You get the feeling that many designers of electric vehicles set out to make their cars look electric with lots of quirky curves and rounded edges, but this is definitely not the case with the Born. From pretty much every angle the Born is attractive, with a slightly aggressive look far from its ID.3 cousin. It has a kind of evolved hot-hatch feel about it, which might not please everyone, but will please most car lovers. Cupra says it is a fusion of “sportive energy with a challenger spirit”, pure manufacturer speak, but not a bad description.
There are plenty of nice styling touches to appeal to the inner boy or girl racer in you, a front end design that looks anything but electric and neat copper detailing, which is a signature of the Cupra brand. LED headlights complement the look and there is an option for 18 to 20 inch alloys as well as a good selection of colour options.
For those who make car purchases more with their heart than their head, then this could just be a car to temp them into the electric age.
There are plenty of nice styling touches to appeal to the inner boy or girl racer in you, a front end design that looks anything but electric and neat copper detailing, which is a signature of the Cupra brand. LED headlights complement the look and there is an option for 18 to 20 inch alloys as well as a good selection of colour options.
For those who make car purchases more with their heart than their head, then this could just be a car to temp them into the electric age.
Interior
The stylish design of the Born continues inside with a cabin that feels both premium and sporty. There is again some nice copper detailing and the materials, with many recycled, give an air of luxury, although the colours are a little dark.
The main feature is a 12” touchscreen which controls the climate and infotainment functions. The dash is fairly minimalist with not too many buttons and knobs. This can take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of the touchscreen it becomes quite natural. There is also the option of a head-up driver display.
The bucket seats are, firm but comfortable and offer a choice of upholstery options. All are heated and if you really want to relax you can even choose a massage option. In behind the floor is totally flat, which makes the rear seats feel a lot more spacious, very comfortably seating two and perfectly fine for three adults.
The boot offers an impressive 385 litres of luggage space, which is pretty good for a car of this size, plus there is extra cable storage under the boot floor. Overall with equipment levels high and the finish very good, this is an interior that will please most drivers.
The main feature is a 12” touchscreen which controls the climate and infotainment functions. The dash is fairly minimalist with not too many buttons and knobs. This can take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of the touchscreen it becomes quite natural. There is also the option of a head-up driver display.
The bucket seats are, firm but comfortable and offer a choice of upholstery options. All are heated and if you really want to relax you can even choose a massage option. In behind the floor is totally flat, which makes the rear seats feel a lot more spacious, very comfortably seating two and perfectly fine for three adults.
The boot offers an impressive 385 litres of luggage space, which is pretty good for a car of this size, plus there is extra cable storage under the boot floor. Overall with equipment levels high and the finish very good, this is an interior that will please most drivers.
Performance
Performance and range depends on your choice of battery and motor. The standard Born has a 58kWh battery and a 150 kW motor. This produces 204hp with a top speed of 160 kmph and an estimated WLTP range of 426km.
There are various other battery and motor configurations, with for example, the extra performance for the Born e-boost. This offers the option of a more powerful of a 77kWh battery and 170 kW motor, producing 231hp and an estimated WLTP range of 547km.
The Cupra website does have an interesting tool for calculating the cars range based on the drivers type of journey type, outside temperature and even wheel size. The default settings on this gives a 374km range. However, look a little closer and you can see this is calculated at an outside temperature of 20°C. Drop to an Irish winter 5°C and the range goes down to 323km. It may not be precise science, but the tool does give and interesting guide.
There are the normal range of charging options with standard home chargers taking around eight hours to charge the battery and fast public chargers taking as little as 30 minutes. A useful Cupra app allows the driver to locate charge points and also find which ones are available. Cupra also offers it own home charging systems which they say can provide a full charge in as little as 3 hour 40 minutes.
All in all the performance of the Born is very good, although if you were expecting hot hatch performance to match the looks you may be slightly disappointed.
There are various other battery and motor configurations, with for example, the extra performance for the Born e-boost. This offers the option of a more powerful of a 77kWh battery and 170 kW motor, producing 231hp and an estimated WLTP range of 547km.
The Cupra website does have an interesting tool for calculating the cars range based on the drivers type of journey type, outside temperature and even wheel size. The default settings on this gives a 374km range. However, look a little closer and you can see this is calculated at an outside temperature of 20°C. Drop to an Irish winter 5°C and the range goes down to 323km. It may not be precise science, but the tool does give and interesting guide.
There are the normal range of charging options with standard home chargers taking around eight hours to charge the battery and fast public chargers taking as little as 30 minutes. A useful Cupra app allows the driver to locate charge points and also find which ones are available. Cupra also offers it own home charging systems which they say can provide a full charge in as little as 3 hour 40 minutes.
All in all the performance of the Born is very good, although if you were expecting hot hatch performance to match the looks you may be slightly disappointed.
Reliability
As a new car the Born has not yet had a chance to really feature in reliability surveys. Based on its under the skin ID.3 cousin you would not expect any serious issues and Seat is generally above average when it comes to the reliability stakes.
The car comes with a disappointing 2 year warranty, with options to extend. However, the battery is covered by an 8 years or 160,000 km warranty and there is a fairly comprehensive network of service centres.
The car comes with a disappointing 2 year warranty, with options to extend. However, the battery is covered by an 8 years or 160,000 km warranty and there is a fairly comprehensive network of service centres.
Running Costs
As an all electric, the Born is a low tax car and insurance is not generally an issue, even with its sportier looks. Overall you expect the Born to save you a significant amount when compared to an equivalent petrol model. Cupra again provides a useful on-line tool that is designed to provide an indicator of what you might save and a headline saving of over €3000 a year seems appealing. However, this is based on a higher than average daily commute of 100km. If your daily commute is a more conservative 30km, for example, annual savings drop to €980 making the higher initial investment more questionable. This of course applies to all electric vehicles, not just the Born, but the Cupra calculator does provide food for thought.
Handling
Although based on the same MED platform as the ID.3 the Born has its own unique suspension design, which, not only lowers the ride height, but also provides a much more satisfying driving experience. This includes damping that provides an excellent ride, even on bumpy roads. The weight distribution and wheel placement mean the handling is very assured and the grip really comes into its own when you push the Born a little harder.
This is a very assured and refined car on the road, especially for an all electric model and while its might not be quite as sporty as it looks, the overall driving experience would put it at the top of its class.
This is a very assured and refined car on the road, especially for an all electric model and while its might not be quite as sporty as it looks, the overall driving experience would put it at the top of its class.
Safety
The Born already has an impressive Euro NCAP five-star safety rating, achieving 93% for adult occupant safety and 89% for child passenger protection. It also scored 80% for safety assist systems, which is very good for a mainstream model.
The Born comes with plenty of safety equipment as standards including; adaptive cruise control, speed limiter, advanced collision warning with automatic braking, a rear traffic alert, lane assist and road sign recognition.
The Born comes with plenty of safety equipment as standards including; adaptive cruise control, speed limiter, advanced collision warning with automatic braking, a rear traffic alert, lane assist and road sign recognition.
Summary
- Exterior
- 100%
- Interior
- 80%
- Performance
- 80%
- Reliability
- 100%
- Running Costs
- 80%
- Handling
- 100%
- Safety
- 100%
There is an awful lot to like about the Cupra Born. It looks great, drives well and comes with a high quality well specified interior. It is also spacious enough to make it a practical family car. It is a very good package that might make even the most die-hard petrol-head look twice.
If you are thinking of making electric switch, but want to do it with a little sporty style then this could just be the car for you. With prices ranging €48,110 to €56,880 the Cupra may, however, stretch your budget meaning that it will likely be more of a car lover’s electric choice.
If you are thinking of making electric switch, but want to do it with a little sporty style then this could just be the car for you. With prices ranging €48,110 to €56,880 the Cupra may, however, stretch your budget meaning that it will likely be more of a car lover’s electric choice.